1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a puncture adapter to be mounted on an ultrasonic probe and an ultrasonic probe consisting of an ultrasonic probe body and a puncture adapter. This ultrasonic probe is used for puncturing by piercing a puncture needle into a subject to extract tissue from an affected area or treat tissue, and particularly by inserting an insertion portion including an ultrasonic transducer into a living body.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, puncturing by piercing a puncture needle such as injection needle into a living body, have been performed. The puncturing are intended for examinations extracting tissue such as a tumor, local administration of a medical agent, or hyperthermia therapy such as irradiation by microwaves or radio waves from the puncture needle. Such puncturing is typically performed with reference to a tomographic image generated by an ultrasonic diagnostic device in order to avoid a blood vessel at the risk of causing massive hemorrhaging due to injury, or in order to accurately puncture a tissue such as a tumor that is an object of observation.
Meanwhile, as described in Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication H6-189974, in laparoscopic surgeries, puncturing is performed whereby an insertion portion comprising a line of ultrasonic transducers on the tip end is inserted and a tomographic image is referenced as described above.
In addition, in the abovementioned puncture, the ultrasonic probe and the puncture needle are washed, because they are stained with blood. However, as described in Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication H6-189974, when integrated with a puncture needle, it is difficult to wash the puncture needle and the ultrasonic probe.
In addition, while hyperthermia therapy is performed by irradiation of microwaves or radio waves employing a puncture needle after piercing with the puncture needle, it is not easy to separate from the puncture needle to observe a target site from another direction. Therefore, an operator such as a physician has to hold the ultrasonic probe by some means. To release the ultrasonic probe in such a case, it is desirable to detach the ultrasonic probe from the puncture needle and to retrieve the ultrasonic probe from the living body.
Therefore, an ultrasonic probe comprising a guide channel for guiding a puncture needle is employed. FIG. 1 shows a conventional ultrasonic probe 1. The ultrasonic probe 1 is provided with a substantially cylindrical grip 13 for being grasped by an operator, the grip 13 is connected to a cable 15 at one end thereof, and a rod-like insertion portion 10 is extended in the identical direction toward the axial direction of the grip 13 at the other end. In addition, the tip of the insertion portion 10 comprises a transducer array (not shown) for transmitting and receiving ultrasonic waves. Then, a guide channel 11 for guiding the puncture needle in the axial direction of the insertion portion 10 is provided on the surface of the rod-like insertion portion on the tip end of the insertion portion 10. In addition, a guideline 12 that is a marker of the position of the guide channel 11 is formed in the grip 13 direction from the end on the grip 13 side of the guide channel 11.
In addition, a brief overview of puncturing with the use of a ultrasonic probe 1 in laparoscopic surgery is shown in FIG. 2. As shown in FIG. 2, the abdominal wall is elevated upward by a heretofore known pneumoperitoneum, lifting method, or the like, to establish a space between organs and the abdominal wall. Then, several holes with a diameter of approximately 5 to 10 mm are created in the abdominal area, into which a trocar is inserted. In addition, a laparoscope or an endoscope is provided in the space, so the internal abdominal area is displayed on a TV monitor as a video picture. Then, the ultrasonic probe 1 is inserted into the living body through the trocar. Then, after a tomographic image is displayed on the TV monitor, the puncture needle 2 is inserted into the living body from another trocar, and the tip of the puncture needle 2 is placed in the guide channel 11 on the tip end of the ultrasonic probe 1 and pierced in the direction of the affected area along the guide channel 11. Then, hyperthermia therapy by irradiation of microwaves or radio waves is performed. At this time, the puncture needle 2 is merely placed in the guide channel 11, so it is possible to easily detach the ultrasonic probe 1 from the puncture needle 2. In addition, the guide channel 11 can be easily washed, because it has an aperture shape.
In addition, also in operative treatments which are performed by making an approximate one-inch incision, the guide channel of the insertion portion of the ultrasonic probe is similarly employed, though the length of the insertion portion is shorter than that employed in laparoscopic surgery.
However, when piercing with the puncture needle as described above along the guide channel, it is difficult to keep the puncture needle stable, so the puncture needle may become detached from the guide channel if force is applied to the puncture needle to let it move in the direction of the aperture of the guide channel. In particular, when an operator is not used to operation, the operator may detach the puncture needle from the guide channel during operation.
In addition, the puncture needle may be inserted from a trocar into which an ultrasonic probe is inserted, being guided by the trocar. For that, the trocar with an inner diameter close to the diameter of the insertion portion of the ultrasonic probe is employed. However, when the trocar with an inner diameter close to the diameter of the insertion portion cannot be used, the difference in diameter from the insertion portion is large, so it is not possible to guide the puncture needle. Furthermore, in the pneumoperitoneum performed by injecting gas into the abdominal area for inflation, air leaks from the gap between the diameters. In addition, even when employing one with a small difference in diameter with the insertion portion, the length of a trocar is normally short, as shown in FIG. 2. Therefore, in the proximity of the tip of the ultrasonic probe, the puncture needle is difficult be guided by the trocar, resulting in deviation of the piercing direction.